No Early Exit: Pakistan Players Set to Stay Through BBL

Cricket Australia has moved to shut down weeks of speculation around the availability of Pakistan’s biggest names in the Big Bash League, confirming that contracted players will not be pulled out midway through the tournament.

Concerns grew when Pakistan announced a short T20I tour of Sri Lanka in early January. The tour clashed with the BBL window and worried franchises that were finalising their overseas player plans.

CA chief executive Todd Greenberg said the message from Pakistan was clear. Players signed for the BBL will see out the competition in full. No staggered departures and last-minute reshuffles.

January Overlap No Longer a Threat

The list under discussion was not small. Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, and others. Each name carries weight, both on the field and at the box office.

Their potential absence had clubs scrambling through contingencies. Greenberg, speaking at Adelaide Oval during the third Ashes Test buildup, said CA had been given direct assurances on availability. From a league perspective, that certainty matters more than anything else.

The BBL Moves Ahead With Pakistan Stars Locked In

While the BBL picture clears, attention shifts to Australia’s own travel plans. Greenberg confirmed that preparations for a T20I tour of Pakistan ahead of the T20 World Cup are underway.

A joint delegation from Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association has already visited Pakistan for preliminary security assessments. Player briefings will follow once the Ashes wraps up.

Pakistan will now move the three-match ODI series, which is part of the Future Tours Programme, to June. This change places the series after the PSL and IPL and lines it up with Australia’s white-ball tour of Bangladesh.

Tests, Territories and the Pink Ball

Cricket Australia also shared its long-term scheduling plans. Mackay and Darwin will host Tests against Bangladesh during the Australian winter, bringing Test cricket back to the Top End for the first time in 20 years.

Pink-ball Tests remain locked in as well, and Greenberg confirmed at least one per year through 2031, citing strong broadcast figures and crowd engagement, particularly during evening sessions.

Franchises can plan properly, and the league keeps its biggest drawcards right where fans expect them.